GATESHEAD crashed to a shock defeat in Northamptonshire as crisis club Kettering Town won their first Conference game since October.
The lowly Poppies scored twice in the second half and Jon Shaw's late header proved to be too little, too late for a misfiring Gateshead.
The Tynesiders struggled to hit their straps in the opening 45 minutes, but could have been ahead early on.
Yemi Odubade's volley from just outside the box came back off the post with Laurie Walker beaten. Kettering, under a transfer embargo and facing a winding up order, battled gamely having been able to name only two substitutes.
Odubade was wide with another effort from a similar range before the Poppies had a great chance to take a 14th-minute lead.
Midfield man David Bridges raced on to a ball over the top to be left one-on-one with Tim Deasy, but it was the Gateshead keeper who came out on top.
Gateshead had plenty of the ball, but were unable to create openings until late in the half when James Curtis had a header deflected just wide.
Curtis then got his head to the resultant corner, but the ball wouldn't come down for Odubade who shot over the bar. Jon Shaw hit the post early in the second half, while a spirited Kettering went close on three occasions, two of those chances falling to half-time substitute Ollie Jones.
The warning wasn't heeded and the beleaguered Poppies were ahead just before the hour.
Great work from Sangare saw the defender cross to the back post where on-loan Peterborough United midfielder Danny Mills volleyed home for Kettering.
Tynesiders boss Ian Bogie immediately brought on Liam Hatch for his debut, and wide man Martin Brittain in an attempt to get back into the game.
Shaw headed Brittain's 67th-minute corner wide and Hatch headed over when well placed, before Craig Baxter's cross found the net only for the effort to be ruled out for a push on the keeper by Hatch.
The Heed piled on the pressure with Brittain just wide before Aman Verma's superb 30-yard curler four minutes from time put a makeshift Kettering in dreamland. Shaw headed home Brittain's 89th-minute cross to pull one back for Gateshead, and sub Chris Moore almost levelled in stoppage time – but a battling Kettering held on.
KETTERING TOWN: Walker, Davis, Sangare, Ifil, Ralth (Jones (46), Noubissie, Aman, Kelly, Meechan, Bridges, Mills. Sub (not used): Pryor Goals: Mills (57), Verma (85)
GATESHEAD: Deasy, Baxter (Moore 90), Rents, Chandler, Curtis, Clark, Airey (Brittain 59), Turnbull, Shaw, Odubade, Cummins (Hatch 59). Subs (not used): Farman (gk), Odhiambo Goal: Shaw (89)
Referee: Tom Robinson (South Yorkshire) Att: 804
